Electric score-board.



C. H. SMITH.

ELECTRIC SCORE BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.2,1911.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' IVIYNESSES:

LVVENTOR.

O. H. SMITH.

ELECTRIC SCORE BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED 1220.2, 1911.

1,089,798. Patentd Mar.10,1914.

2 BHEET88HEET 2.

Jam:

IlOllIl lV/TNESSES: 15/ [VI/EN 0/2. 7/94/6M. Lflllm C. H. 5/27/79? I nrrnn STATES ATENT ornion.

CHARLES E. SMITH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SCORE-BOARD.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Score-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric score-boards and its object resides in the provision of an association of electrical devices whereby the progress of a game of base ball may be clearly shown upon a board or other displaysurface so that at points remote from the place at which a game is being played, spectators can observe the various features thereof, as clearly as if they were watching the play itself.

By the use of my invention, the courses of the runners and of the ball are clearly indicated, as well as the results of the various moves in the game at the distinctive oints at which they are made and these 0 jects of my inventlon are attained by the use of an apparatus of sim le construction, an embodiment of which has been shown in the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which- Figure 1 represents a face view of the score-board and the therewith electrically connected operating board and stylus. Fig. 2 a fragmentary sectional view of the three elements comprised in my invention, the sections of the two boards havin been taken along lines 2-2, Fig. 1, and rawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section of the means whereby strikes and balls are indicated on the score-board, the section of the scoreboard having been taken along the line 3--3, Fig. 1 and the electric switches on the operating board having been shown by means of the conventional symbols, and Fig. 4 a transverse section taken along the line 44, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by numerical reference characters, the numeral 2 designates the score board which is usually placed Specification of Letters Patent.

Application flied December 2, 1911.

Patented Mar. 10, 1.91 4.

Serial No. 863,522.

at an elevation, in a perpendicular position, 3 the operating board which, in practice, is prefera ly placed, face. upwardly, upon a table or other suitable support, and 4 the styli used by the operator for making the electric connections which cause the moves made in the game to be indicated on the score-board.

The stations of the players are established on the score board by means of incandescent electric lamps 5, those at the four bases be ing preferably connected by painted lines 6 to indicate the diamond. At each station with the exception of those of the pitchers and the short-stop, a similar lamp 7 of different color, is laced adjacent the other, and serves to indicate, when flashed, that a ball or runner is out at the station at which it is located. The courses taken by the runner from one base to another are indicated by series 8, of equidistant lamps of less candle power than the others and preferably of a different color, the courses of the ball between the various stations are likewise shown by series of equidistant lamps 9 which while in color the same as those located directly at the stations, are of a smaller size, and series of lamps 10 of still another color extend in opposite directions from the lump at the home plate to designate the directions taken b foul balls. Larger lamps 12 oi either he same or a different color are located at the ends of the series 10 to be flashed in case the ball is out on a foul.

Two groups of lamps respectively designated by the numerals 13 and 1.4 are placed on the board outside the field, one of said groups containing three lamps to indicate the number of .trikes while the other comprises four lamps which serve to show the number of balls made while the ball is being pitched to the batter.

The operating board 3 has in its face series of grooves 15 which in their relative positions, correspond with the several series of lamps on the score board, and each of these grooves has in its bottom, a series 01' equidistant contact-plugs 16 which by means of electric conductors 17 are separately connected with one'of the terminals of the lamps in the corresponding series on the board 2, and the contacts 18 near the ends of these' grooves, which correspond and. are connected with the lamps 5 at the sta tions on the score board, are socketed to receive the point of pose of continuing the connection and mamtain the respective lamps at the stations in a lighted condition while the operator isindicating other features of the play at different oints or along other lines. a

'lhe amps in the groups 13 and 14 which serve to respectively indicate the number of strikes and balls on the score-board, are separately connected at one of their terminals, by means of conductors 19, with one of the contacts of switches 20 which are arranged in corresponding groups on the operatin board 3 and which may be of any desire character or construction.

The opposite terminals of all the lamps on the score board are electrically connected with a binding post 21 which, by means of a conductor 22, is connected with one ofthe poles of a source of electricity .23, the connections between the lamps and the post being established by an suitable means such as conductors 24; place along the several series as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and which are connected" with .the'binding post by'means of wires 25.

The; styli used in operating the scoreboard, are connected withthe opposite pole of the source 23 by wires 26 and they are each composed of a handle of non-conductive material which carries at its opposite game,

ends a metallic point 27 and a binding screw 28 electrically connected by a metallic core 29.

The contacts of the switches 20 opposite to those connected with the lamps in the roups 13 and 14, are connected with a bind mg post 30 on the operating board, as shown in Fig. 1, and this post is connected by means of a wire 31 with the Pole of the source opposite to that which connects with the binding post 21 on the score-board. I

While a game of base ball is in progress, an operator who usually receives information of the different moves made in the by telegraph or telephone,'traces the courses of the runners and the balls by drawing one of the styli through the grooves in the operating board corresponding with the series of lamps on the score-board which correspond with the said courses thereby causin the lamps in said series to flash successive y. safe, the operator places the point of the stylus in'the socket at the end of the groove, which is connected with the lamp 5 at thestation at which the play has been made, or if the ball or the runner is out,

the stylus e for the pun.

runner leaves a base When the runner of the ball is.

weaves the operator flashes by contact of the stylus, 6-5

the diii'erently colored lamp 7 adjacent the station at which this feature in the play, has taken place. The operator indicates in the same manner the direction of a foul ball by drawin a stylus through one or the other of t e grooves corresponding with the series of lamps 10 and in case a ball is out on the foul he flashes the lamp 12 at the end of said series.

The strikes and balls made while the ball is being pitchedto the batter are indicated by lighting the lamps in the groups 13 and 14 by adjustment of the proper switches, and when after a play is made, a new player goes to hat, or when the the stylus is removed from the socket in which it was disposed, it being understood that while one or more styli are supported in the sockets on the operating board, others are used to indicate the courses of the ball and runners by drawin them along the guide ways in the board.

. hile I have shown and described my invention in the best form at present known to me, variations in the construction of the elements and in the system of electric connec tions may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Lettars-Patent is ,1

1. 1n apparatus of the class described, the combination with a score-board having series of lamps arranged at determinate points and along lines between said oints, of an operating board having guide ways arranged in correspondence with the arrangement of the lines on the score board, successions of insulated contacts along said guide-ways separately in circuits with the lamps contained in the series along the respective lines on the score board, contact sockets at the ends of said ide ways in separate circuits with the amps at the points at the ends of the corresponding lines on the score board, and a stencil having a contact member connected in said circuits, said contacts being adapted to be successively engaged by said member when continuously moved along'said guide ways, and the said "member being made to fit any one of the said sockets whereby to hold the stencil in place therein and thus continuously close the circuit in which the socket is connected.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination'wit-h a score-board having series of lamps arranged at determinate points and along lines between said points, of an operating board having guide ways arranged in correspondence with the arrangement of the said lines on the score-board, successions of insulated contacts along said guide ways, separately in circuits with the respective lamps along the respective lines the same to continuously close the circuits on the score board, and a stencil having a of the contacts at the said ends. 10 contact member connected in all the circuits In testimony whereof I have afiixed my and adapted to engage the said contacts signature in presence of two witnesses.

when the stencil is moved continuously CHARLES H. SMITH. along the said guide ways, the said stencil Witnesses: and the said guide ways being adapted for JOHN H. SMILEY, the support of the stencils at the ends of CHARLES R. GILBERT. 

